


You Do Something To Me

by strawberrymojo



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-23 04:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16611836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberrymojo/pseuds/strawberrymojo
Summary: One-shot. Harry & Louis slow-dancing in the dark to Paul Weller. What more does one need?





	You Do Something To Me

“Need a cigarette,” Louis muttered, shrugging off both Harry and the blanket, and climbing off the mattress. He was wounded; a deer bit in the haunch by words as sharp as lupine teeth. They were Harry’s teeth, Harry’s words, but he hadn’t meant them to sink quite so deep.

In the dim blue light coming from the TV screen, Harry watched as Louis shuffled over to the window. He opened it with one hand, using his other to flick a cigarette from the pack tucked away on the sill. Harry followed the tremble in Louis’ hand as he brought a lighter up to the cigarette, then noticed it in his lips as he took his first drag. Eyes closed, Louis inhaled deeply, holding it in until the shaking stopped. Without opening his eyes, he turned and leaned against the window sill, releasing the smoke from the warmth of his mouth into the wintry air.

Harry watched him from the mattress on the floor, in the middle of the barely furnished room. A TV, an armchair, a mattress. He’d never asked Louis why he didn’t have more _stuff_ in his London flat. It obviously wasn’t for lack of money. But then, Louis never asked him why he didn’t have more time. It was just the way it was. A hint of morning, a piece of afternoon, a trace of evening. Everything around them had always been fast and fleeting; as if the next time Harry came, Louis might be gone; as if one day Harry would leave and never come back. 

What they lacked in things and time, though, they made up for in moments. Louis fed Harry tea and toast when he was unwell, their shoulders pressed tightly together as they sat up against the wall. Harry fell in love with Doncaster hearing it on Louis’ tongue when he read his lyrics to him in the afternoon sun, the two of them lazing in the armchair. They shared goodbye kisses, whispered and rushed, standing by the door where Louis’d kissed Harry so carefully and deliberately the first time.

If they had hours rather than minutes, they would listen to music through the TV speakers, tucked up together under blankets on the mattress, arguing over the best of British. Morrissey? _God no!_ _Too depressing._ Paul Weller? _Hmmmm. Not The Jam. But I don’t mind a bit of Style Council._

_Hold on,_ Louis had said. _Let me play you some of his solo stuff._

The guitar was aching melancholy and heartbreak; the voice molasses and whisky and grit. Harry listened to it on repeat for days after.

_You do something to me_  
_Something deep inside_  


He put it on that evening, as he was sat there watching the blue light caress Louis’ back. Although Louis didn’t turn around, the muscles in his shoulders tensed for long enough for Harry to know that he’d heard it. Climbing off the mattress, Harry stood, hesitating, wanting to fix and soothe, but not entirely sure Louis would let him.

Harry approached him delicately, his wounded deer; jittery and skittish, but so strong, so beautiful, so proud. Louis’ bathrobe was wrapped around Harry loosely, and as he neared the open window he shivered, the cool air brushing over the bits of his skin it could reach. Louis didn’t move, but Harry knew he was aware of his approach from the way he’d cocked his head. He softened his steps as he drew near, not wanting to scare Louis away. Harry’s arms slipped carefully around him from behind, and he rested his head gently against Louis’ back. Louis’ body remained rigid and tense, but Harry held him anyway, quietly singing the words into his skin, stitching his wound back together.

_You do something to me_  
_Somewhere deep inside_  
_I'm hoping to get close to_  
_A peace I cannot find_

Harry wove _I’m sorry_ and _I love you_ into Louis as he sang, and Louis sighed against him, letting Harry coax him out of his hurt. He forgave Harry wordlessly, gripping his fingers against his chest with one hand while putting out his cigarette with the other, before he turned around and pulled Harry to him. They swayed gently towards the end of the song, creating another moment to add to their collection.

_Dancing through the fire_  
_Just to catch a flame,_  
_Just to get close to,_  
_Just close enough,_  
_To tell you that_  
_You do something to me_  
_Something deep inside_

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from the song referenced in the fic - You Do Something to Me by Paul Weller.


End file.
